By: Cindy Pu

The International Paralympics Committee (IPC) has announced that in 2028, Paraclimbing will make its first appearance at the Los Angeles Paralympics.

The LA28 Paralympic Games will include a total of 23 different sports once Para-climbing is added. Andrew Parsons, the IPC president believes that Para-climbing, a “fast-paced, exhilarating sport” will attract a larger audience to the Paralympic Games. This additional sport follows the introduction of climbing at the Tokyo summer Olympic Games in 2020 for the first time in the Olympics.

When deciding which event to add to the Paralympics, the committee for the LA28 chose between Paraclimbing and Parasurfing for a new event to add to the Paralympics. Both choices were sports that have never been included as an event. Paraclimbing is the fifth additional sport to be added to the Olympics in the last 12 years. The LA 2028 team is the first organizing committee to request additional sports at the Paralympic Games.

The organizing committee of each Paralympic Games has the option to put forward one or more additional events. Then after careful evaluation of each choice, the IPC decides whether to approve or reject the event that was chosen.

“By proposing climbing as an additional sport they have given us another opportunity to fulfill our purpose – to make the world a better place through climbing. All of our Para-athletes do this every day, and now they can do it on the world stage for all to see at the Paralympic Games.” said Marco Scolaris, the president of the International Federation of Sport Climbing.